Since there will be no AI, would it be possible to have several scenerios with all the units already placed on the map? While the setups would just be 'basic' or maybe sub-optimal, it would at least allow someone who has never played the game to not have to worry about where to place all the units and which ones to scrap or not right at the beginning. Maybe you could call theses scenerio's a 'historical start' by pre-setting the units and force pools where they historically were at the start of these scenerios?

This way the new people could just start being able to just right in and start moving stuff. Plus they would not find out after several hours (or days?) of play that the setup they used totally messed up the game

There are fast start versions of some of the scenarios contained in the beta version, so I don't see why not. FREX the Global War fast start game begins with all set-ups done except Poland.

However, many of the starting units for all major powers are always drawn randomly so not all people may be pleased with what they have to work with when using these. OTOH most random draws average out... as long as Germany gets her 88s.

Even if you save your set-up file (which is one of the features available), it does not save the random draws.

Since there will be no AI, would it be possible to have several scenerios with all the units already placed on the map? While the setups would just be 'basic' or maybe sub-optimal, it would at least allow someone who has never played the game to not have to worry about where to place all the units and which ones to scrap or not right at the beginning. Maybe you could call theses scenerio's a 'historical start' by pre-setting the units and force pools where they historically were at the start of these scenerios?

This way the new people could just start being able to just right in and start moving stuff. Plus they would not find out after several hours (or days?) of play that the setup they used totally messed up the game

Just a suggestion

There may people who can explain this better than me but I will try.

Every scenario to my knowlege will have a fast start, meaning the counters are set up for each nation you have to do nothing, an exception to that is Fascist Tide and even that is easy to do, The program will ask you to place several Polish units anywhere you want in Poland of course ships have to be in a port, your done and the next part of the program asks the German player what move he wants to do like Naval, Air, Land, combine, and pass. Select one of these and your playing.

As far as historical I do not think so even though In Day of Infamy it may be historical. Starting a new game is not as daunting as you think, the program goes to every area that is locked with certain units EG: Certain units must be set up where the program demands it. You will see a tray with all the Hawaiian Units in tha tray if it says the East coast the program flashes to the east coast and you place the unit.

There is an interesting scenario called Day of Infamy that may not be in the initial offering but will be added later. When I say interesting I mean it is the only shot at a real Pearl Harbor IMO. Anyone can correct me if they so desire.

It starts with the Nov/Dec 1941[ 2months ]move #1 The Japanese get the first move, they do not declare war on the first move and on their naval move thet move to within striking distance of Pearl Harbor. They can do some other things during the rest of their first move but I am concentrating on Pearl. When the US gets it's first move next because the US is not at war with anyone the US is limited somewhat. the US has to either Pass or take a combined move, to pass would be a disaster for on the next Japanese move Japan would declare war against the US and use a combined move or an air move to attack Pearl with the US fleet inside it.

The only other option the US has IMO is to take a combined move which allows it a naval move of 3.

Now had the US been at war the US could have taken a naval move which would have allowed the US to either move the whole fleet back to the mainland or attack the Japanese in the sea area they are in. If the US was at war with anyone and took a combined move then a 3 could mean that the US on the first of those 3 naval moves could move as many ships as the US wants 1 or 20 if they are in a stack. But the US is not at war yet so a 3 means 3 ships not fleets.

Somebody might disagree with this but the only choice I see the US having is to move its finest 3 ships out of Pearl and send them to the westcoast, you choose the ships and if one of them is a carrier get it the hell out of there after that probably you would send your two most battleships to the westcoast. I have did this attack over and over and it can be devastating I usually attack with 5 or 6 Japanese fleet carriers and they can do a number on the US fleet at Pearl.

Bo

sorry paul I was typing this long epistle when you posted did not mean to undercut you and you answer.

But rather than use random draws, use the units that started the war (or their approximate game version) in the locations they were in historically.

Again, these would be 'historical' starts without the random draws and scrapping already done. At least this way new players can at least had a basic start that is not going to hose up the game many turns in. I would not want to play both sides until 1942 and realize Russia/China/Italy, etc. has lost because I messed up their setup in 1939 . So any kind of basic setup along historical lines would be a huge help to prevent this kind of situation from occuring.

Only some of the scenarios will have Fast Start versions: Barbarossa, Guadalcanal, Fascist Tide, Missed the Bus, and Global War. These games used the standard random selection of land and air units. They also use Solitaire mode and very few optional rules. Equally important, they start rather late in the "start a new game", after all the units have been placed on the map and the sequence of play has reached the first 'decision' point in the game. The last varies slightly for each scenario.

The purpose behind creating these was to give players the ability to "start playing" the game immediately, without having to make all the decisions that are preliminary to moving units around on the map and engaging in combat.

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As for historical setups, my task was to recreate the board game WIF for the computer. The board game has absolutely nothing about historical setups. Hence MWIF doesn't have any either. More work I can do without.

Only some of the scenarios will have Fast Start versions: Barbarossa, Guadalcanal, Fascist Tide, Missed the Bus, and Global War. These games used the standard random selection of land and air units. They also use Solitaire mode and very few optional rules. Equally important, they start rather late in the "start a new game", after all the units have been placed on the map and the sequence of play has reached the first 'decision' point in the game. The last varies slightly for each scenario.

The purpose behind creating these was to give players the ability to "start playing" the game immediately, without having to make all the decisions that are preliminary to moving units around on the map and engaging in combat.

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As for historical setups, my task was to recreate the board game WIF for the computer. The board game has absolutely nothing about historical setups. Hence MWIF doesn't have any either. More work I can do without.

Perfect Glad to see this was already considered and planed for so that some of the early decision making in the setups could be skipped

I suggested early on in development that a replay feature with DVD style controls would be excellent. Steve liked the idea but it had to be dropped for at least the first release as too time consuming.

The point is, if someone created a saved game that, as far as is possible with the granularity of the system, followed WW2, you could watch a MWiF WW2 on the replay. So you'd have Poland being conquered in SEP/OCT 1939, The air/land/naval battle for Norway, Pearl Harbor, the huge increase in U.S. production etc etc. That would be fun and educational.